Read a Q&A with Amy Mitchell, director of journalism research at Pew Research Center, on a new report that explores Americans' ability to distinguish factual news statements from opinions.
Pew Research Center has examined how people think about democracy, trust in institutions, and the role of information in society for more than a decade. In light of current debates about the state of the democratic process and the importance of truth, the Center has further deepened its focus on public attitudes about the role of trust and facts in democracy. This page is a curation of the most relevant content on those topics.
In seven Western European countries surveyed, the top main source for news is a public news organization – such as the BBC in the UK, Sveriges Television/Radio (SVT/Radio) in Sweden or ARD in Germany – rather than a private one.
Findings about news media views and habits in Western Europe from a survey about media, political attitudes and populist views in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
Ratings on how well the media perform on several core functions, like investigating the actions of the government and getting the facts right, differ between those who hold populist views and those who do not.
Explore where users of news outlets in eight Western European countries place these outlets on a left-right spectrum, based on their perception of their ideological leanings.
Across eight Western European countries, people with populist leanings have more negative attitudes about the news media than do those with non-populist views.
Most Americans have negative views of the tone of political debate in their country. And a sizable majority says personal insults are “never fair game” in politics.
How do Americans feel about their own democracy? Read key findings from our recent report on Americans' views of democracy in America.
U.S. adults are mostly against government action that could limit people’s ability to access and publish information online. There is more support for steps by technology companies.
Across 35 nations, a median of 26% do not identify with any political party in their country. In countries where more people are unaffiliated with any political party, popular support for representative democracy is also lower.
